Charge port illumination system for electric vehicle

ABSTRACT

A charge port illumination system for an electric vehicle includes a charge port disposed at the electric vehicle and configured for electrically connecting to a charging source to charge a power source of the electric vehicle. The charge port includes an outer portion that is exposed and viewable at the electric vehicle when a person is connecting the charge port to the charging source. The charge port includes at least one illumination source that, responsive to an activating event associated with an electric charging event of the electric vehicle, is activated to provide backlighting at the outer portion, which may include a translucent polymeric material. The activated illumination source may be automatically deactivated. The system may include a cover panel that is opened to expose and access the charge port. The illumination source may be controlled to indicate a state of charge of the power source.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application is a continuation of U.S. patent applicationSer. No. 14/153,605, filed Jan. 13, 2014, now U.S. Pat. No. 9,156,396,which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/684,833,filed Nov. 26, 2012, now U.S. Pat. No. 8,628,225, which is acontinuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/731,394, filed Mar.25, 2010, now U.S. Pat. No. 8,317,376, which claims the benefits of U.S.provisional application Ser. No. 61/164,134, filed Mar. 27, 2009.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to charge port pockets for vehicles and,more particularly, to an exterior charge port pocket at a side or rearportion of an electric vehicle.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

An electric vehicle may include a pocket or recessed portion at which acharge port is disposed, whereby a user may plug a charging system orcharger into the charge port to charge the electric vehicle's powersource. Typically, such pockets are covered by a cover panel that isopened to access the port.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides an illuminated bezel of a pocket of acharge port for an electric vehicle, for providing light at the chargeport pocket of the vehicle.

According to an aspect of the present invention, a pocket assembly for acharge or fuel fill port of a vehicle includes a body mountable to thevehicle and at least one outer layer or element that is established atan outer surface of a bezel portion of the body and that is exposed andviewable at the side of the vehicle, such as when a person is connectingthe vehicle to a charging system and optionally when a cover panel isopened to expose and access the charge port. The pocket assemblyincludes an illumination source or module that is operable (such as inresponse to opening of the cover panel or the like) to provideillumination generally at or behind the bezel portion and to illuminateand/or backlight indicia established at or on or through the bezelportion.

These and other objects, advantages, purposes and features of thepresent invention will become apparent upon review of the followingspecification in conjunction with the drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a pocket assembly in accordance with thepresent invention;

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of a pocket assembly of thepresent invention;

FIGS. 3A-E are views of an illumination source or light pipe andassociated circuitry or circuit board suitable for use with the pocketassembly of the present invention;

FIG. 4A is another perspective view of the pocket assembly of thepresent invention;

FIG. 4B is a plan view of a mounting structure suitable for use inmounting the pocket assembly of the present invention to a vehicle;

FIG. 4C is sectional view of the pocket assembly, showing the light pipedisposed within the pocket assembly and at the lower surface of thebezel portion;

FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view of another pocket assembly of thepresent invention;

FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view of another pocket assembly of thepresent invention;

FIG. 7 is an exploded perspective view of another pocket assembly of thepresent invention;

FIG. 8 is an exploded perspective view of another pocket assembly of thepresent invention;

FIG. 8A is a sectional view of the pocket assembly of FIG. 8;

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of another pocket assembly of the presentinvention; and

FIG. 9A is a sectional view of a portion of the pocket assembly of FIG.9, showing the indicia.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring now to the drawings and the illustrative embodiments depictedtherein, a portal insert or pocket assembly 10 is mountable to a sideportion 12 a of a vehicle 12 at a charge port 12 b of an electricvehicle (FIG. 1). Pocket assembly 10 includes a body portion 13, whichincludes a base portion 14 and a bezel portion 16 that is formed ordisposed at an outer portion of the base portion 14 and that is exposedand viewable when the charge port is accessed to charge the vehicle. Thepocket assembly 10 may be attached or fastened to a mounting structure15 of the vehicle 12 that is received in a recess at the side portion 12a of the vehicle 12. The vehicle 12 may include a cover panel 12 c thatis closable over the pocket assembly 10 to conceal the pocket assembly10 and charge port 12 b when the vehicle is not being charged and thatis openable by a user to access the charge port 12 b to charge thevehicle. Pocket assembly 10 includes at least one illumination device ormodule 18 (FIGS. 3A-E and 4C) at or behind the bezel portion 16 (such aswithin base portion 14) for providing illumination at the charge port 12b and optionally for providing illumination or backlighting at indiciaor characters or text 20 (such as a vehicle name or logo or emblem) atthe bezel portion 16, as discussed below.

As can be seen in FIGS. 1 and 2, the portal insert or pocket assembly 10has a hole or aperture or passageway established therethrough forreceiving a charge port or plug or socket 12 b therethrough when thepocket assembly 10 is mounted to the mounting structure 15 at the sideof the vehicle. The base portion 14 and/or bezel portion 16 of pocketassembly 10 may be mounted to the mounting structure 15 at the side ofthe vehicle (such as at a pocket or recess established at the side ofvehicle body or frame) via any suitable attachment means, such asfasteners or snaps or clips or the like. For example, and as shown inFIG. 2, bezel portion 16 may include flexible tabs 22 with hooks at endsthereof, whereby the tabs may flex to insert into openings or the likeat the mounting structure 15 to fixedly secure the pocket assembly 10 atthe side of the vehicle. The vehicle and/or pocket assembly may includea cover 12 c that is pivotally mounted to the vehicle and/or pocketassembly and that is pivotable by a user to access the charge port 12 bfor charging the battery or power source of the vehicle. Theillumination device 18 of the pocket assembly 10 may be activated whenthe cover 12 c is opened (such as in response to a switch or input thatactivates the illumination device when the cover is at least partiallyopened and deactivates the illumination device when the cover is closed)to illuminate the charge port area and/or to illuminate or backlight theindicia 20 at the bezel portion 16 of pocket assembly 10, thus providingenhanced access to the charge port and providing an aestheticallypleasing appearance to the charge port area to a person charging thevehicle. In the illustrated embodiment, the pocket assembly provides acolored portion at the indicia and/or colored portion of the baseportion so that the illumination device 18, when activated, not onlyilluminates the indicia and charge port area, but does so in a mannerthat provides an enhanced appearance to the charge port area, asdiscussed below.

In the illustrated embodiment, and with reference to FIG. 2, baseportion 14 of body 13 comprises a generally cylindrical wall portion orinner portion that is received in the mounting structure 15 at thepocket or recess at the side of the vehicle, with the bezel portion 16of body 13 disposed or established (such as via unitarily molding baseportion 14 and bezel portion 16 in a molding process, such as aninjection molding process or the like) at an outer end of the baseportion 14 and flaring outward to provide a surface that is generallyviewable by a person at the side of the vehicle when the cover panel isopened. Optionally, base portion 14 and bezel portion 16 may be formedof a translucent plastic or polymeric material, such as, for example, atranslucent blue material or resin (or any other color materialdepending on the particular application and desired appearance of theindicia and/or pocket assembly).

As shown in FIG. 2, pocket assembly 10 may include an opaque layer orcoating 26, such as a layer of dark (such as black) paint or othersuitable dark paint or layer or coating, established at an outer surfaceor portion 16 a of bezel portion 16, with a lighter layer or coating 28,such as a layer of lighter (such as silver) paint or other suitablelighter paint or layer or coating, established over the dark or opaquelayer 26, and with a clear coat or protective coat 30 disposed orestablished or applied to bezel portion 16 at and over the layers orcoatings 26, 28. The layers 26, 28 may be established or coated orapplied to the outer surface 16 a of bezel portion 16, whereby theindicia 20 (such as the name or logo of the vehicle or vehiclemanufacturer or any other text or icon or the like) may be etchedthrough the layers 26, 28 (such as by laser etching or the like orotherwise removing or ablating portions of the layers in the desiredpattern), so that the translucent blue resin (or other base and bezelmaterial) of bezel portion 16 may be exposed and viewable at the laseretched indicia. Thus, the outer clear coat 30 provides a continuousouter surface and fills in or encompasses the indicia whereby thecolored bezel portion 16 is viewable through the translucent or at leastpartially transparent clear coat 30 and through the indicia to providecolored indicia on a silver (or other colored) bezel portion.

Illumination device 18 may be disposed or housed at base portion 14and/or bezel portion 16, such as generally at or in or behind bezelportion 16 at or near the indicia 20. As shown in FIGS. 3A-E,illumination device 18 may comprise a light pipe or module, such as acurved light pipe having a housing 18 a (FIGS. 3A-C) with a circuitelement 18 b (such as a printed circuit board or the like) with one ormore illumination sources or light emitting diodes (LEDs) 18 c andassociated circuitry 18 d disposed or established thereon (FIGS. 3D and3E). The housing 18 a may comprise a reflector housing and a light guideelement 18 e, so that light emitted by LED 18 c is guided along lightpipe 18 to provide diffuse lighting along the light pipe and along andbehind the indicia 20. For example, the light pipe may include a singleLED or multiple LEDs (such as three or four or more LEDs arranged alongthe light pipe), and may include a circuit board or may be boardless,with the illumination sources wired to the power source and/or circuitryremote from the light pipe. Optionally, the illumination device ormodule 18 may utilize aspects of the illumination modules described inU.S. Pat. Nos. 7,195,381 and/or 6,971,775, and/or PCT Application No.PCT/US08/062347, filed May 2, 2008 and published Nov. 13, 2008 asInternational Publication No. WO 2008/137634, which are herebyincorporated herein by reference in their entireties.

Illumination device or module or light pipe 18 may be disposed at areceiving portion or underside 16 b of bezel portion 16 and generallybehind bezel portion 16. The light pipe is curved to generally match thecurvature of the text or indicia 20 so as to provide substantiallyuniform illumination or back lighting at the indicia established at oron bezel portion 16. Optionally, for example, the bezel portion 16 mayinclude snaps or tabs (not shown in FIG. 4C) that extend from the innersurface 16 b of bezel portion 16 and that may snap to illuminationdevice 18 (such as at or near the ends of the illumination device orelsewhere along the illumination device) to secure the illuminationdevice at the underside or inner surface 16 b of bezel portion 16. Asshown in FIG. 4C, the circuit board 18 b may be disposed in housing 18 a(such as at a support portion 18 f of housing 18 a), wherebyillumination from the LED may be emitted through an opening in supportportion 18 f and along light pipe element or light guide element 18 e soas to emit light generally uniformly along and behind the indicia 20.

As can be seen in FIG. 4C, housing 18 a may be mounted along innersurface 16 b of bezel portion and may be pressed against the innersurface when illumination device 18 is snapped or attached to bezelportion 16 (or optionally, the housing and/or light pipe element may bespaced from the rear surface 16 b of the bezel portion 16 when theillumination device is attached to the bezel portion or body of thepocket assembly). Optionally, a seal or gasket may be provided at thehousing to bezel interface to limit or substantially preclude waterand/or dirt intrusion into the illumination device. Likewise, the rearopen portion 18 g of housing 18 a (that receive the circuit board 18 btherein) may be partially or substantially filled or sealed with apotting or sealing material to limit or substantially preclude dirtand/or water intrusion into the illumination device and to the circuitelement 18 b disposed therein. Optionally, it is envisioned that thebezel portion 16 may be molded over a light pipe element or lightguiding element (such as a light guiding element similar to light pipeelement 18 e), and the housing and circuit element of the illuminationdevice may be snapped to the bezel portion (such as in a similar manneras discussed above) generally at and corresponding to the inmolded lightguiding element, while remaining within the spirit and scope of thepresent invention.

Optionally, the illumination device receiving portion of body 13 and/orthe inner wall or surface 14 a of base portion 14 (FIG. 4A) may bepainted or coated with a non-light transmitting coating or paint layer,whereby illumination from illumination device 18 does not flood thecharge port area when the illumination device is activated, thusbacklighting the indicia 20 and optionally providing a soft glow ofillumination at the charge port area. Optionally, the material of baseportion and bezel portion may be selected to have the light travel or bedirected along the wall of base portion to provide illumination at theinboard end or bottom end of base portion 14 (so as to provide a coloredor illuminated or glowing ring around the charge port). As shown in FIG.4B, the mounting structure 15 at the vehicle may be configured toreceive the body 13 of portal insert or pocket assembly 10 (not shown inFIG. 4B) with the illumination device (that may be attached to bezelportion 16) being received or disposed at a receiving portion 15 a ofmounting structure 15 behind where bezel portion 16 is positioned whenbody 13 is snapped or otherwise fastened or secured to mountingstructure 15.

Thus, the pocket assembly (with the layers or coatings established atthe bezel portion) of the present invention may be shipped to a vehiclemanufacturing plant or facility. An operator at the facility may installthe mounting structure to the vehicle and then may snap or otherwisefasten the body 13 and pocket assembly 10 to the mounting structure 15to complete the assembly of the pocket assembly at the vehicle. Theillumination device may be installed at or attached to the body 13 atthe facility at which the pocket assembly is manufactured (such as bysnapping the illumination device to locking or retaining tabs orelements at the bezel portion), or the illumination device may beshipped separately to the vehicle assembly facility and may be installedat the body 13 (such as by snapping the illumination device to lockingor retaining tabs or elements at the bezel portion) at the vehicleassembly facility before the body 13 is attached to the mountingstructure 15. An operator may install the illumination device and plugin any leads or contacts of the illumination device into an appropriateor corresponding electrical connector at the mounting structure orvehicle to electrically connect and electrically power the pocketassembly at the side of the vehicle.

Optionally, the illumination module 18 may comprise a self-containedmodule that includes a curved housing 18 a that may substantially encasethe illumination source and circuitry of the illumination module 18. Themodule and housing may be substantially sealed so as to be substantiallyimpervious to water, dirt, debris and the like, so that the module iswell suited for the exterior application at the charge port of thevehicle.

The housing of illumination module 18 may be at least partially orsubstantially translucent or transparent at least at illuminationregions at or behind the indicia 20, such that illumination emitted viathe illumination source or illumination sources is transmitted throughhousing 18 a at the illumination regions and through the bezel portionand indicia. The illumination regions may have a lens or aperturethereat and within the housing to direct the light in the desireddirection and in the desired manner. The illumination regions of thehousing may provide a diffusing optic or diffusing effect or frosting todiffuse or spread out the emitted light to provide substantially uniformillumination or backlighting at the indicia and to limit orsubstantially preclude bright spots at the indicia when the illuminationdevice is activated.

Optionally, and desirably, the housing may be overmolded over theillumination source or sources and circuitry to provide a substantiallysealed and substantially water impervious illumination module. Forexample, the housing may be overmolded over and around a metal stampingor stamped circuit element or plate with the illumination source orsources (such as LEDs or the like) fastened thereto or otherwiseestablished thereon, or the housing may be overmolded over and around aprinted circuit board or element with the illumination sourcesestablished thereon.

Thus, the pocket assembly 10 provides a backlit or glowing indicia atthe bezel portion to provide an enhanced appearance of the charge portarea of the vehicle. The glowing or backlit indicia may be colored (suchas, for example, blue or other desired color), such as via the coloredmaterial or resin selected for molding the bezel portion. Optionally,the base portion may allow light passage therethrough to furtherilluminate the charge port area when the illumination device isactivated. Optionally, the illumination device may include coloredlights (such as blue LEDs or the like) to provide the colored backlighting of the indicia, whereby the base portion and bezel portion maycomprise a clear translucent material, if desired.

The illumination device or module may be activated in response to anactivating or triggering event or input, such as in response to at leastone of a touch of the cover panel, a movement of the cover panel (suchas when the cover panel is opened by a user to access the charge port),actuation of a remote transmitting device (such as a key fob or thelike), a passive entry device, a motion detection at the side of thevehicle, and/or the like. The illumination device or module may beautomatically deactivated, such as following a period of time afteractivation or after plugging in the charging source to the charge portor such as in response to the cover panel being closed by a user afterthe vehicle has been charged. Optionally, the light module and/orillumination source or sources may have a dimming control feature orfunction, such that the illumination device, when activated, is rampedup or progressively powered up to its full illumination state, and whendeactivated, is ramped down or dimmed or progressively powered down toits deactivated state. Optionally, the illumination device or module maymodulate or vary the illumination (such as by flashing or varying theintensity of the illumination), such as in response to the vehicle beingplugged in or charging and/or in response to a degree of charging of thevehicle, such as to indicate when the vehicle power source is fullycharged.

Optionally, and with reference to FIG. 5, a pocket assembly or portalinsert 10′ may include a body 13′ (having a base portion 14′ and bezelportion 16′) that is formed of a translucent clear (or substantiallyclear) plastic or polymeric material, such as, for example, atranslucent clear resin (or any other material depending on theparticular application and desired appearance of the indicia and/orpocket assembly). Pocket assembly 10′ may include a translucent layer orcoating 24′, such as a translucent colored paint or coating (such as atranslucent blue (or other color) paint or coating or the like),established at an outer surface or portion 16 a′ of bezel portion 16′,with an opaque layer or coating 26′, such as a dark (such as black)paint or other suitable dark paint or layer or coating, established orapplied over the translucent layer 24′, and with a layer of lighter(such as silver) paint 28′ (or other suitable lighter paint or layer orcoating) established over the dark or opaque layer 26′, and with a clearcoat or protective coat 30′ disposed or established or applied to bezelportion 16′ at and over the layers or coatings 24′, 26′, 28′. The layers24′, 26′, 28′ may be established or coated or applied to the outersurface 16 a′ of bezel portion 16′, whereby the indicia 20′ (such as thename or logo of the vehicle or vehicle manufacturer or any other text oricon or the like) may be etched (such as by laser etching or the like)through the layers 26′, 28′, so that the translucent blue layer 24′ (orother colored coating or material) at bezel portion 16′ may be exposedand viewable at the laser etched indicia. Thus, the outer clear coat 30′provides a continuous outer surface and fills in or encompasses theindicia whereby the colored layer 24′ is viewable through thetranslucent or at least partially transparent clear coat 30′ to providecolored indicia on a silver (or other colored) bezel portion, such as ina similar manner as described above.

Optionally, the base portion and bezel portion may be molded to anappliqué or outer element that provides the indicia at the bezel portionof the pocket assembly. For example, and with reference to FIG. 6, apocket assembly or portal insert 110 may include a body 113 having abase portion 114 and a bezel portion 116, with an appliqué or outerelement 126 and an outer clear resin or coating 130. Optionally, theappliqué 126 may be formed and the indicia 120 may be established (suchas via screen printing or the like) at the appliqué 126 (and theappliqué may be formed out of any suitable or desirable material, suchas an opaque material, such as a colored material, such as a silvercolored material or the like). The appliqué 126 (particularly ifcomprising an interior type material that may not be suited for exteriorapplications and may not withstand exposure to exterior conditions) maythen be in-molded into a clear resin material 130 to establish a clearcoated appliqué for applying to or establishing at the bezel portion ofthe pocket assembly.

Optionally, and desirably, the base portion 114 and bezel portion 116may be insert molded to the clear coated appliqué to form the pocketassembly. The base portion 114 and bezel portion 116 may be molded outof a translucent colored resin material (such as a translucent blueresin material) to provide a colored backlit indicia, such as in asimilar manner as described above, while the outer clear coat 130provides a continuous outer surface whereby the colored bezel portion116 is viewable through the appliqué 126 and translucent or at leastpartially transparent clear coat 130 to provide colored indicia on acolored bezel portion, such as in a similar manner as described above.

Optionally, and with reference to FIG. 7, a pocket assembly or portalinsert 110′ may include a body 113′ having a base portion 114′ and abezel portion 116′, with an appliqué 126′ that may be formed with theindicia 120′ established (such as via screen printing or the like) atthe appliqué 126 (and the appliqué may be formed out of any suitable ordesirable material, such as an opaque material, such as a coloredmaterial, such as a silver colored material or the like). Optionally,and desirably, the base portion 114′ and bezel portion 116′ may beinsert molded to the appliqué 126′ to form the pocket assembly. The baseportion 114′ and bezel portion 116′ may be molded out of a translucentcolored resin material (such as a translucent blue resin material) toprovide a colored backlit indicia, such as in a similar manner asdescribed above.

Optionally, and with reference to FIGS. 8 and 8A, a pocket assembly orportal insert 210 may include a body 213 having a base portion 214 and abezel portion 216, with an appliqué or outer cover element 226 adheredto or applied to bezel portion 216. Optionally, and as shown in FIG. 8A,appliqué 226 may comprise an outer clear film or layer 226 a (such as athermoplastic fluoropolymer, such as a highly non-reactive and purethermoplastic fluoropolymer, such as a polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF)film or layer or the like), with a chrome or silver or metallic coating226 b (or other colored or opaque coating or material depending on thedesired appearance of the bezel portion at the charge port area)established at an inner surface of outer clear layer 226 a. A clearcoat226 c may be established at the chrome coating 226 b, and an opaque ordark coating or layer 226 d may be established at clearcoat 226 c. Thedarkened layer or opaque layer may be provided or established so thatthe indicia is visible (to a person viewing the charge port area whenthe pocket assembly is normally mounted at the vehicle) when theillumination device is activated, but when the illumination device isdeactivated, the indicia is not readily visible or viewable ordiscernible through the opaque layer to a person viewing the charge portand pocket assembly. The indicia 220 may be established at the opaquelayer 226 d (such as by reverse printing of the indicia at and throughthe opaque layer 226 d but not through the clearcoat 226 c and othercoatings or layers 226 b, 226 a). Appliqué 226 may include an adhesivelayer 226 e (such as a clear pressure sensitive adhesive layer or thelike) at its inner surface for adhering the appliqué 226 to the bezelportion 216 (which may comprise any suitable material, such as a clearor non-clear plastic or polymeric or metallic material or the like).

Optionally, the base portion and bezel portion of the pocket assemblymay comprise stamped metallic parts that are stamped (or otherwiseformed or shaped) out of a metallic material or the like. For example,and with reference to FIG. 9, the body 313 (including the base portion314 and bezel portion 316) may be unitarily stamped or formed of ametallic material. The stamping may then be placed into a mold to havethe outer coating or layer or element (with the desired or selectedcolored materials) molded onto the outer surface of the bezel portion316, such as in a similar manner as described above.

In order to allow the light from the illumination device to pass throughthe stamped metallic bezel portion 316, the indicia or characters arestamped or cut or pierced or established through the bezel portion 316.For example, the metallic material may be trimmed and formed and cut orfinished at a multi-stage stamping process, and the lettering or indiciamay be pierced or established at a secondary die station (however, it isenvisioned that the indicia may be pierced or established at an initialpiercing operation prior to the stamping and finishing of the formedbase portion and bezel portion). Optionally, and desirably, the outersurface of the bezel portion may have a plastic protective filmestablished thereon or applied thereto in order to protect the outersurface during the stamping and piercing processes. After the part hasbeen stamped and pierced, the protective film may be removed from theouter surface of the bezel portion and the stamping may be placed into acover side of a mold to have the outer element (such as an outer elementsimilar to the outer element or appliqués discussed above) molded ontothe bezel portion 316.

If the indicia includes a letter or character or icon that has a centerportion (such as the letter “O” or the like), the center portion may beremoved during the stamping process and thus the character may not beproperly shown or represented at the bezel portion. Optionally, thecenter portion of such characters may be removed during (or before orafter) the piercing operation (or may be separately formed) and theseparate center portion may be attached at the side of the molding pressso that, when the outer element is molded over the outer surface of thebezel portion 316, the separate center portion of the character orcharacters is retained in the appropriate location at the bezel portion.Optionally, and as shown in FIG. 9A, the center portion 321 of a letteror character may be formed with tabs 321 a that may be folded over toretain the center portion 321 at the appropriate location within anopening that defines the outline of the character or letter. The tabsmay be folded over by an assembly machine that properly or accuratelylocates the center portion 321 and retains it at the appropriatelocation after the stamping process and before the molding of the outerelement at the bezel portion 316.

Optionally, and with respect to any pocket assembly of the presentinvention, the illumination device or illumination module or light pipemay be received within the base portion and behind the bezel portion foremitting illumination through the bezel portion and through any outercover or appliqué or coating established at or adhered to the bezelportion. The illumination device may include or comprise any suitableillumination source, such as one or more light emitting diodes (LEDs),such as white LEDs or high intensity power LEDs (such as the typesdescribed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,195,381 and/or 6,690,268, which are herebyincorporated herein by reference in their entireties) or organic lightemitting diodes (OLEDs) or the like. The illumination source maycomprise a substantially white light emitting illumination source, ormay comprise a colored light emitting illumination source (or a whitelight emitting illumination source may emit light that passes through acolor filter or the like) to provide color illumination (such as blue orother color as desired) at the charge port area or pocket, depending onthe particular application of the pocket assembly and illuminationmodule. For example, the illumination module may emit or transmitcolored light that may match or correspond to an interior and/orexterior lighting scheme of the particular vehicle to which the pocketassembly is mounted.

Thus, the illumination module may comprise a single self-contained,sealed illumination module with one or more illumination sources or LEDsthat are operable to illuminate or backlight the indicia at andpartially around the charge port and/or to provide a soft illuminationat and partially around the charge port. Thus, the illumination modulemay be configured as a sealed, self-contained illumination module with alens or optical element, such as a simple lens, a potted designengineered lens or aperture. The optic elements may comprise anysuitable material, such as a clear polycarbonate, a polystyrene, anacrylic or the like, for environmental robustness. The physical size andshape and position of the apertures for the light output may be selectedto provide the desired light output, such as a desired intensity,diffuseness and/or direction of illumination emanating from theillumination module when the illumination sources are activated. Atexture or frosting of the lens or lenses or optical elements may alsobe provided to spread or diffuse the light output of the illuminationmodule. The illumination module may also include a capacitor orcapacitors to limit damage from electro-static discharge. Theillumination module also includes resistors, which are selected toensure the same or substantially the same net light output of theillumination sources of the illumination device or module. The housingmay be overmolded over the illumination source and circuitry of theillumination module to substantially seal the circuitry within thehousing so as to provide a sealed illumination module for use in thepocket assembly. Optionally, the circuitry or components of theillumination device (such as the LED or LEDs and associated circuitryand/or the light pipe element) may be molded into the body itself. Forexample, a boardless illumination device may have the body molded overthe light pipe element and/or the circuitry and illumination source orLED to encapsulate the components and/or circuitry within the body andat the bezel portion of the pocket assembly. Optionally, the circuitryof the illumination device may be molded into the housing of theillumination device so that the illumination device comprises a sealedor encapsulated device or module that may be readily attached to thebody or bezel portion, such as in a similar manner as discussed above.

The illumination sources may illuminate or backlight the indicia andcharge port region of the vehicle, and may utilize aspects of theillumination sources described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,280,069; 6,276,821;6,176,602; 6,152,590; 6,149,287; 6,139,172; 6,086,229; 5,371,659,5,669,699, 5,823,654 5,497,305; 5,938,321; 5,671,996; 5,497,305;6,416,208 and/or 6,568,839, which are hereby incorporated herein byreference in their entireties. When activated, the illumination sourcepreferably draws a low or minimal amount of energy from a power source,such as a vehicle battery (not shown) or the like, such that the batteryor power source is not overly drained during the period of time that theillumination source is activated.

Changes and modifications to the specifically described embodiments maybe carried out without departing from the principles of the presentinvention, which is intended to be limited only by the scope of theappended claims as interpreted according to the principles of patentlaw.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property orprivilege is claimed are defined as follows:
 1. A charge portillumination system for an electric vehicle, said charge portillumination system comprising: a charge port disposed at an electricvehicle and configured for electrically connecting to a charging sourceto charge a power source of the electric vehicle; wherein said chargeport comprises an outer portion that is exposed and viewable at theelectric vehicle when a person is connecting said charge port to thecharging source; wherein at least said outer portion is formed via amolding process; wherein said charge port comprises at least oneillumination source; wherein said at least one illumination source,responsive to an activating event associated with an electric chargingevent of the electric vehicle, is activated to provide backlighting atsaid outer portion; wherein the activated said at least one illuminationsource is automatically deactivated; and wherein said outer portioncomprises an at least partially translucent polymeric material.
 2. Thecharge port illumination system of claim 1, wherein said outer portioncomprises an at least partially translucent colored polymeric material.3. The charge port illumination system of claim 1, wherein said chargeport comprises circuitry, and wherein said circuitry comprises circuitelements used in activating said at least one illumination source toprovide backlighting at said outer portion.
 4. The charge portillumination system of claim 3, wherein said circuit elements are usedin deactivating the activated said at least one illumination source. 5.The charge port illumination system of claim 1, wherein a circuit boardis disposed at said charge port and wherein said circuit board has saidat least one illumination source and associated circuitry disposedthereat.
 6. The charge port illumination system of claim 1, wherein saidat least one illumination source, when being activated, is progressivelyadjusted from a lower illumination state towards a higher illuminationstate, and wherein said at least one illumination source, when beingdeactivated, is progressively adjusted from the higher illuminationstate towards the lower illumination state.
 7. The charge portillumination system of claim 1, wherein at least one of (i) an intensityof illumination emanating from said at least one illumination source isvaried to indicate the state of charge of the power source of theelectric vehicle and (ii) said at least one illumination source isflashed to indicate the state of charge of the power source of theelectric vehicle.
 8. The charge port illumination system of claim 1,wherein backlighting of said outer portion of said charge port by saidat least one illumination source comprises light piping.
 9. The chargeport illumination system of claim 1, wherein said at least oneillumination source comprises a light emitting diode.
 10. The chargeport illumination system of claim 1, wherein said at least oneillumination source is controlled to indicate a state of charge of thepower source of the electric vehicle.
 11. The charge port illuminationsystem of claim 1, wherein a cover panel is opened to expose and accesssaid charge port.
 12. The charge port illumination system of claim 11,wherein said activating event comprises at least one of (i) detection oftouch at said cover panel and (ii) movement of said cover panel.
 13. Thecharge port illumination system of claim 1, wherein said activatingevent comprises at least one of (i) actuation of a remote transmittingdevice, (ii) a signal from a passive entry device and (iii) detection ofmovement by a motion detection device.
 14. A charge port illuminationsystem for an electric vehicle, said charge port illumination systemcomprising: a charge port disposed at an electric vehicle and configuredfor electrically connecting to a charging source to charge a powersource of the electric vehicle; wherein said charge port comprises anouter portion that is exposed and viewable at the electric vehicle whena person is connecting said charge port to the charging source; whereinat least said outer portion is formed via a molding process; whereinsaid charge port comprises at least one illumination source; whereinsaid at least one illumination source comprises a light emitting diode;wherein said at least one illumination source, responsive to anactivating event associated with an electric charging event of theelectric vehicle, is activated to provide backlighting at said outerportion; wherein the activated said at least one illumination source isautomatically deactivated; and wherein a cover panel is opened to exposeand access said charge port.
 15. The charge port illumination system ofclaim 14, wherein said activating event comprises movement of said coverpanel.
 16. A charge port illumination system for an electric vehicle,said charge port illumination system comprising: a charge port disposedat an electric vehicle and configured for electrically connecting to acharging source to charge a power source of the electric vehicle;wherein said charge port comprises an outer portion that is exposed andviewable at the electric vehicle when a person is connecting said chargeport to the charging source; wherein at least said outer portion isformed via a molding process; wherein said charge port comprises atleast one illumination source; wherein said at least one illuminationsource comprises a light emitting diode; wherein said at least oneillumination source, responsive to an activating event associated withan electric charging event of the electric vehicle, is activated toprovide backlighting at said outer portion; and wherein said at leastone illumination source is controlled to indicate a state of charge ofthe power source of the electric vehicle.
 17. The charge portillumination system of claim 16, wherein backlighting of said outerportion of said charge port by said at least one illumination sourcecomprises light piping.
 18. The charge port illumination system of claim17, wherein a cover panel is opened to expose and access said chargeport.
 19. The charge port illumination system of claim 18, wherein saidouter portion comprises an at least partially translucent polymericmaterial.
 20. The charge port illumination system of claim 19, whereinan intensity of illumination emanating from said at least oneillumination source is varied to indicate the state of charge of thepower source of the electric vehicle.